Improvement in thrashing-machines



H. & E. KURTZ.

THRASHING-MACHINE.

few/canted June 19,1877.

// Ill/l/ Fig/ /// Ill/ll WITNESSES INVENTO 5 I ATTORNEY- N- PETERS,PiDTQUTHQGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C- which the cylinderO rotates.

mrnn S'ra'res FFFIGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN THRASHlNG-MACHlNES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. L92,268, dated June 19,1877 application filed December 16, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY KURTZ and EPHRAIM KUR'IZ, both of Richmond,in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and valuable Improvement in 'Ihrasliing-Machines; and We do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making apart ofthis specification, and to the lettersand figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a vertical longitudinalsection of this invention applied to an o\-'ershot-machinc. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the same applied to an umlershot-machine.

This invention has relation to thrashing-machines and it consists in theconstruction and novel arrangement, in the front of the machine, of anair-chamber extending transversely, and having a curved guide-wall ordirecting-plate, whereof the marginal portion or guidelip is directedrearwardly and obliquely either up or down, according to the characterof the machine, the direction of said lip being in a plane not exactlytangent to the cylinder, but a little off from its surface, ashereinafter shown and described.

The object of this invention is to catch the wind from the cylinder withthe dust and particles carried by it toward the front of the machine,and turn it to the rear into the thrashingpassage between the cylinderand its oncasement, so that, instead offlyin g outin front into the faceof the feeder, it will be directed backward through thethrashing-passage and out at the rear of the cylinder. This invention isapplicable to both undershot and overshot machines, and can readily beapplied to machines now in use.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the feeding-boardat the front of the machine. B represents the hollow body of themachine, or thrashingchamber, within 1) indicates the feeding-opening infront of the machine. E represents the air-recess or concave chamber,extending transversely across the front of the cylinder-chamber B andopening into the same. This air-chamber is constructed either above orbelow the feed-opening D, according to the character of the machine.

' In Fig. l of the drawings, representing an overshot-machine, theair-chamber is located below the feed-opening. In an undershot-machineit is located above said opening, as indicated in Fig. 2. In either casethe air-guide is a curved concave wallor plate, 2, gradually shelving tothe wall of the encasement above or below, curving in a line concentric,or nearly so, except in front, with the cylinder, and in front bellyingout to form a recess, E, and terminating in a guide-lip or marginalportion, G, bordering on the feed-opening. This guide-lip or marginalportion is directed rearwardly and obliquely, up or down, according tothe character of the machine, in a plane not exactly tangent to thecylinder, but a little off from its surface, as indicated in dottedlines in the drawings, so

as to escape the dead-air which is carried around by the cylinder closeto its surface. The direction of this guide is, therefore, into thethroat H, near the surface ofthe cylinder. By means of this air-guidethe wind aml dust from the machine, which would otherwise liy in theface of the feeder, are turned and directed backward obliquely into thevthroat and through the machine, to be discharged at the rear. Thecurrent of wind assists in turning the cylinder, and efsuction is set upin the throat H,'which causes the machine to feed with ease. It can,therefore, be run with less power, comparatively, than a similar machineconstructed without the air-chamber.

e are aware that it is not new to construct an air-trap in thefront ofan undershotmachine, the lip of which is directed in such a manner as tointersect the cylinder. Hence we do not broadly claim an air-chamber inthe front ofsuch a machine, which, wehavetound, will not answer thepurposes referred to in the premises, unless curved and directed intothe throat of the machine a little oil from the surface of the cylinder,as hercinbefore described.

Were the deflector angular in cross-section. besides the objection thatdust, straw, and other matters would settle in the angles, this formwould be further objectionable in offering greater resistance to theair-current, and

creating eddies, which would tend to consume the motive power and defeatthe object aimed atnamely, to draw away the dust from the month; while,if the guide-lip G were directed too much toward the cylindertbat is,mak ing a line which would fall within its circumference-the aircurrentwould rebound from the cylinder and be thrown outward, carrying the dustout of the feed-opening; while, if the lip G were directed in a linefalling outside the sweep of the teeth, the dust would fall beyond thecontrol of the cylinder.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination, with a thrashing-cylinder,

of the curved deflector z, extending across the front of the machine,and having its marginal portion formed into a guide-lip, G, directedrearwardly and obliquely into the thrashing-throat, a little off fromthe surface of the cylinder and within the sweep of the teeth,substantially as specified.

In testimony that we claim theabove we have hereunto subscribed ournamesin the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY KURTZ.

EPHRAIM KURTZ.

Witnesses: 1

L. G. EILENBERGER, GEORGE SHOEMAKER.

